The invention relates to a data storage unit, comprising an archive storage means with a storage unit for a plurality of data carrier cassettes, with at least one read/write unit for the data carrier cassettes and a transfer unit, with which a transfer of individual data carrier cassettes from the storage unit into the read/write unit and vice versa can be carried out, and further comprising a data storage control which controls the read/write unit and the transfer unit for the storage of data and which is in data interchange communication with a computer in order to store data transferred from this or to make available to the computer data stored in the data store.
Data storage units of this type are known from the state of the art. The problem with them is that due to the fact that the data is written directly onto data carrier cassettes the speed of access to different sets of data is limited.
The object underlying the invention is therefore to design a data storage unit, with which access to data with the computer is as efficient as possible.
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a data storage unit the type described at the outset, in that the data storage unit has in addition to the archive storage means at least one hard disk memory for storing data to be interchanged with the computer, that the data storage control operates the hard disk memory and the archive storage means in parallel, that the data storage control with the archive storage means and the at least one hard disk memory together form a device installable as a storage unit, in which a long-term storage of the data results by means of the data carrier cassettes and which communicates with the computer as a single storage unit.
The advantage of the inventive data storage unit is to be seen in the fact that this is designed as a device which can be installed as a unit, operates as a single storage unit with respect to communication with the computer and can thus be connected to a computer in a simple manner. The advantage of this solution is also to be seen in the fact that a device representing a unit is available to the user, in which the archive storage means, the hard disk memory and the data storage control are permanently installed with respect not only to the hardware but also to the software and so the use of this data storage unit does hot require any knowledge concerning the handling of the data storage in the two completely different storage types, namely the archive storage means and the hard disk memory, for operating the data storage unit.
The inventive data storage unit is thus simple to install since the data storage control communicates with the computer like a single, conventional memory but is in a position, internally, to convert data stored on the hard disk memory onto the data carrier cassettes as an inexpensive storage medium suitable for large amounts of data.
It is particularly favorable when the data storage control operates the archive storage means and the hard disk memory in such a manner that these allow an interchange of data with the computer in the order of magnitude of data interchange rates corresponding to a hard disk memory.
With data interchange rates in the order of magnitude of those of a conventional hard disk memory, the desired, rapid communication with the computer is possible, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, however a long-term storage of data by means of the data carrier cassettes can take place, whereby, on the one hand, an increased data protection is ensured and, on the other hand, the storage of large amounts of data is possible inexpensively.
The data storage control preferably operates such that when a data carrier cassette is not already located in the read/write unit data interchanged with the computer is stored temporarily in the hard disk memory and an interchange of data takes place between the hard disk memory and the data carrier cassettes either prior to the data communication with the computer or after the data communication with the computer.
A particularly favorable solution with respect to the installation, which has proven to be particularly favorable for the set up and operation of a data storage unit of such a construction, provides for the data storage unit to have a housing, in which the archive storage means, the data storage control and the at least one hard disk memory are arranged and permanently installed.
This solution has the great advantage that with it operation and installation of such a data storage unit in conjunction with a computer can take place in such a manner as if it were a single storage unit to be connected to the computer. With respect to operation and installation expenses a particularly favorable solution is thus available.
Moreover, this solution has the additional great advantage that the operational safety is also considerably increased due to the fact that all three units, namely archive storage means, hard disk memory and data storage control are permanently installed and synchronized with one another.
Since the units archive storage means, hard disk memory and data storage control, when they are intended to be installed and operated as a uniform device, should result in as compact a device as possible, it is preferably provided for a frame of the data storage unit to have two frame segments, wherein the archive storage means is arranged in one frame segment and the data storage control and the at least one hard disk memory are arranged in the other frame segment. This division of the frame into two frame segments has the great advantage that with it an optimum arrangement of the individual units can be selected with respect to the space requirements and accessibility.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the two frame segments are designed as flat parallelepipeds and extend parallel to a vertical line with their flat sides.
In this respect, it is particularly expedient when the two frame segments extend essentially over the entire height of the frame in a vertical direction.
It is preferably provided for the frame segments to extend with their flat sides parallel to a frame front and form directly behind the frame front a front frame segment and a rear frame segment arranged behind this.
With respect to the distribution of the individual units between the two frame segments, no further details have so far been given. It is particularly favorable, for example, with respect to the access possibly required for maintenance when the storage unit, the at least one read/write unit and the transfer unit are arranged in the front frame segment.
Furthermore, it has proven to be expedient on account of the less frequent accessibility when the data storage control and the at least one hard disk memory are arranged in the rear frame segment.
With respect to the type of arrangement of the data storage control and the hard disk memories in the rear frame segment, no further details have so far been given. One advantageous embodiment, for example, provides for the rear frame segment to have receiving means for the data storage control and the at least one hard disk memory, their front sides being located on one side of the frame. This means that the receiving means are easily accessible from one side of the frame so that, for example, the data storage control and/or the at least one hard disk memory are, on the one hand, easily accessible in the region of their front sides and can also be disassembled easily for the purpose of maintenance.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the receiving means for the data storage control and the at least one hard disk memory are arranged one above the other in a vertical direction so that the frame segment accommodating them does not require a large constructional depth.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the data storage control is arranged such that its flat side with the greatest extension extends parallel to the flat side of the frame segments.
In order to be able to connect the data storage control favorably to the other units, it is preferably provided for the rear frame segment to form a connection area, on which the receiving means for the data storage control and the at least one hard disk memory border with a rear side. This means that the individual units are accessible in a simple manner for connection to one another and all the cables can be favorably arranged in a single connection area in the rear frame segment.
The connection area is arranged, for example, such that it is located in the rear frame segment so as to be opposite the front side of the receiving means, preferably near to a side of the frame located opposite the front side of the receiving means.
With respect to the arrangement of the read/write units in the front frame segment, no further details have so far been given. One advantageous embodiment, for example, provides for the front frame segment to have at least one receiving means for the at least one read/write unit and for the receiving means to border with a rear side on the connection area in the rear frame segment. This solution has the great advantage that with it not only the read/write units but also the data storage control and the hard disk memories can be connected to one another in a simple manner by cables guided in the connection area without any great distances needing to be overcome and so the ease of maintenance of the inventive data storage unit, in particular, can also be increased since all the connections between the individual units are comprised in the one connection area.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the front frame segment has several receiving means for several read/write units which all border on the connection area with their rear side.
In order to attain as favorable an arrangement as possible when arranging the read/write units, particularly one which allows an optimum saving on space, it is preferably provided for the receiving means for the read/write units to be arranged one above the other.
With respect to the arrangement of the read/write units in the receiving means, no further details have so far been given. It would, for example, be conceivable to dimension the front frame segment such that this can accommodate all the read/write units. It is, however, particularly favorable, again for reasons of saving on space, when the read/write units arranged in the receiving means project into the connection area with their rear sides so that the connection area can be used in addition for accommodating the read/write units having a relatively large extension transversely to the flat side of the front frame segment.
In conjunction with the preceding embodiments, the construction of the storage unit itself has not be specified in greater detail. One advantageous solution, for example, provides for the storage unit to have individual storage compartments for accommodating the data carrier cassettes.
In this respect, the storage compartments are preferably provided with insertion openings which are all arranged in one storage plane.
With such a construction the storage unit may be served by the transfer unit in a particularly favorable manner.
Furthermore, it is preferably provided for the read/write units to have insertion compartments, the insertion openings of which are all located in one insertion plane. Such an arrangement of the read/write units likewise has the advantage of an easy accessibility on the part of the transfer unit.
Furthermore, the transfer unit is preferably designed such that a gripper means is movable with it in a handling plane, wherein the handling plane preferably extends parallel to the storage plane and to the insertion plane. It is particularly favorable when the storage plane and the access plane coincide with one another and the handling plane is located in front of these two coinciding planes.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the transfer unit has a gripper means for the data carrier cassettes, with which access to the data carrier cassettes is possible in an access direction extending transversely to the handling plane.
A particularly favorable arrangement of the individual units provides for the storage plane, the insertion plane and the handling plane to extend parallel to the flat side of the front frame segment so that a particularly space-saving possibility is thereby given for the arrangement.
With respect to the user friendliness of the inventive data storage unit, no further details have been given in conjunction with the preceding description of the individual embodiments. One advantageous solution, for example, provides for the housing to have a front wall, in which a screen interacting with the data storage control is arranged. This solution has the advantage that a user of the inventive data storage unit can communicate with the data storage control in a simple manner, particularly when this is arranged in the rear frame segment and thus not accessible in a favorable manner.
Furthermore, the communication with the data storage control can also be facilitated, in addition, when a keyboard for the communication with the data storage control is arranged in the region of the front wall. Such a keyboard is preferably arranged beneath the screen.
Since such a keyboard is indeed desirable for the communication with the data storage control but, during normal operation of the inventive data storage unit, is not constantly required, it is preferably provided for the keyboard to be swung into and out of a keyboard receiving means in the front wall of the housing so that the keyboard does not require any additional space during normal use of the inventive data storage unit and is swung out into an ergonomically favorable position which does require space only when a communication with the data storage control is necessary which can, for example, be the case for the purpose of maintenance or during the interchange of data carrier cassettes.